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Just for Kicks: USEA Proposed Rule Changes

It has been announced that changes are being proposed at the USEA to the lower levels, in order to bring it up to other country’s standards. Click here for the article on EventingNation. Here’s the recap for those who are unaware:

Cross Country

Beginner Novice

Novice

Training

Speeds @ optimum time

300 350 mpm

350 400-430 mpm

420-470 *450–480 mpm

Speed faults

420 520 mpm

450 520 mpm

520 mpm

* When multiple divisions of Training level are offered, Open Training speed is 480 mpm.

Show Jumping

Beginner Novice

Novice

Training

Preliminary

Heights

0.79m (2’7”)

0.90m (2’11”)

1.0m (3’3”)

1.10m (3’7”)

Height Option*

0.85m (2’10”)

0.95m (3’1”)

1.05m (3’5”)

1.15m (3’9”)

Spreads of oxers

1.00m (3’3”)

1.10m (3’7”)

1.20m (3’9”)

1.30m (4’3”)

Spreads w/ height option

1.05m (3’5”)

1.15m (3’9”)

1.25m (4’1”)

1.35 (4’5”)

Spreads of triple bar

1.20m (3’11”)

1.30m (4’3”)

1.40m (4’7”)

1.50m (4’11”)

Spreads w/ height option

1.25m (4’1”)

1.35m (4’5”)

1.45m (4’9”)

1.55m (5’1”)

* One vertical and one oxer permitted at these heights

Being that I have, do, and will be competing at these levels, I’d like to weigh in with my opinion, which is two-fold. If you want to skip the discussion- scroll to the end.

SpeedThe current argument for upping the speeds required is that some horses have to do circles at the end of their course before crossing the finish flags in order to avoid speed penalties (for non-eventers, you can actually incur points against you if you go too fast, a time is given as incurring speed faults along with the optimum time). The purpose of the speed faults is to dissuade riders from reckless riding on course.

Beginner Novice XC Oct. 2012

From my standpoint, I can understand why increasing the speed @ optimum time could be a good idea. Even if my sometimes pokey horse might struggle with this, I will admit that encouraging a more forward ride might be a good thing. I completely disagree, however, with increasing the speed fault speed to 520. In the current USEA guidelines, 520 meters per minute is a standard speed for a Prelim course. Let me tell you, you are seriously cruising at 520 mpm. Here is a video comprised of Prelim riders at Morven Park in 2011, for example:

Why would anyone jump Beginner Novice (2’7″) or Novice (2’11”) need to get anywhere near Prelim (3’7″) speed in order to safely get around a course? In my opinion, there is no training program that should ever include galloping 2’7″ fences as part of their regimen. If I see someone taking these smaller fences at almost-Prelim speed (because of course actual Prelim speed incurs speed faults), I think it is safe to assume that either A) the ride is lacking control of the horse, and therefore dangerous OR B) the rider is lacking discipline, and is therefore dangerous.

Erm, yes, I may have trotted a couple steps after the up-bank

Let’s talk about how these new speeds might affect other competitors. When Beginner Novice (the most affected level here) allows horses on course that could be traveling at anything between 350 and 515 meters per minute, it is likely that passing on course is more apt to happen. Think about your average cross country course, which is a mixture of water elements, fields, and wooded trails. Will the horse traveling at the higher speed wait until you are conveniently in a big field to pass you? My experience tells me probably not. Now think about your average horse or rider at the Beginner Novice levels. Beginner Novice is a division created for either green horses, or inexperienced riders. How is a pair like this, presumably new to the sport, going to handle the likelihood of being passed on course? Some horses get understandably upset when another horse gallops up behind them blindly. Novice or young riders may not know how to handle the situation of being approached so quickly on course.

To me, this is the greatest danger of allowing faster speeds on these lower level courses. I think the only solution to this dangerous passing scenario would be to increase the time between riders allowed on course, to allow slower pairs a ‘head start’. However, knowing that most shows operate on tight time schedules, I see this an unlikely predicament.

HeightI can think of (and have heard from on the interwebs) more than a few lower-level riders who are crapping themselves thinking about the new height allowances in showjumping. Many of these riders (of course, not all) ride at the lower levels because they lack confidence to move up. Increasing the heights of some fences is crippling to the anxiety of this crowd, and I truly feel for them. While 2″ is not a whole lot (the increase for Novice and Training), 3″ added to Beginner Novice course practically turns them into Novice fences, exactly what that same crowd is looking to avoid. While I don’t see this increase in height to be as dangerous as the speed fault scenario, I do wonder how these changes will adversely affect current riders at the lower levels.

That being said, I do think that these height rules could find merit at the annual Championship Competition (AEC). These riders have to qualify in order to attend, and are therefore presumably better prepared to tackle a slightly harder course. Similarly, if the championship heights are clearly communicated before the event, it would ease the tension between traditional schooling venues as to what facilities implement 2014 heights versus the new proposed heights.

In SummaryIn my mind, having a more forward optimum time is fine. Still safe, and rewarding a forward ride. I get that. Increasing the speed fault speed allowed- big, big red flags for me, and I hope they will be heavily weighed in the proposal discussions. For height, I don’t understand how increasing the height of a couple fences at the lower levels brings us up to international standards, and even more so, I don’t understand why making these lowest levels consistent with other countries matters. Is there going to be a Beginner Novice Olympics any time soon? Traveling to competitions in other countries for Training level? I seriously doubt it. Perhaps implementing new heights for Championship courses is the way to go. Overall, I would like to see better reasons for implementing changes that will affect the greater population of eventers, and that is those competing at the Beginner Novice through Training levels.

Weigh in! What do you think about the new changes? How will they affect you and your decisions about what level to ride at?

I’ve been in total agreement with raising the optimum speeds. Having a nice forward ride, and having to worry about circling or walking through the finish sort of destroys the whole purpose. But, I hadn’t heard of the extremely high speed fault time. You are totally right. That’s ridiculous! Way too high for Beginner Novice!!

Fence height raises at championship is an interesting idea. I wonder if they’ll talk about that?

I pretty much agree with you. I am not totally against the new proposals but I think the desired method of execution is a little off. First – absolutely raise OT speed a little bit. I see people trotting and circling ALL THE TIME. For the people who say their short strided horses or ponies can’t make that time – that’s crap. First of all, it’s not that much of a speed increase… if you choose smarter lines and therefore cover less ground, it will equal out. If you’re scared of going that fast then accept your time faults until you gain more confidence. There’s nothing wrong with that. Some people are acting as though BN should be nothing but a dressage competition and that if you’re having XC or SJ penalties, something is wrong with the course. I don’t think that a double clear should be a “gimme”, and if people can’t canter an entire course of fences, it’s absolutely fair that they get time penalties. I do agree with you that prelim speed is way too fast.

As for the bigger jumps in stadium – I would not be opposed to this IF they were offered as option fences. That way the people who are wanting to move up can jump the higher options, but everyone else can still jump the “at height” option. Or – as you said – do a couple of higher fences at Championship events.

Yes, the lower levels do tend to come across as dressage competitions sometimes. Case in point that it was actually shocking to me to see so many refusals/poles/even a rider fall this past weekend- you just start to take for granted that everyone’s going to go double clear!

I’ve heard it mentioned about the higher fences as ‘options’ and I quite like that idea. I do wonder- would that affect optimum times? (Maybe not, just posing the question) I’m sure it wouldn’t affect 4 faults for poles dropped, but you have to wonder if at Recognized Events where scores go on record and they can help qualify for other events (like the Championship), will competitors take the risk over the bigger fence? An interesting idea though nonetheless!

Well, if they did the option fences right next to the smaller fence (like they do in hunter derbies) it shouldn’t make any difference on the time. But for those picky enough to say that it would, they could always put the option fence in the “farther out” path.

I read the proposed re-wording of the cross country descriptions for BN-T levels the other day, and I was like O.O It sounds like they’re basically trying to up each level to the next–so N is going to be a T course at N height. The whole thing is fuckery IMO.

Agree- making the XC a lot more difficult with the new wording! It will definitely make moving up to Training a lot more difficult… did you see the bit about corners/water drops on Novice courses? Ditch and walls at Training? Yikes.

Just to let you know, I’m not an evener(yet), but I follow the sport avidly. I agree with a lot of what your saying. Maybe the plan is make US riders more competitive against other countries by preparing them for harder courses like those found in European courses early? Of course these changes don’t really affect me but just a thought.

That could be the plan.. although I still don’t understand it.. The theory behind lower levels is to introduce people/horses to the sport, so why make them competitive on an international level? Hoping to receive some clarification from the USEA…

While I don’t event yet, I would like to try it some day, and I think the another issue with the height increase is that it is going to deter riders from trying the sport. I think the beginner novice level should be more about getting horses good experiences and getting riders to really love the sport, not about preparing them for Training level, something most riders will never reach.

Yep! I don’t know about anybody else, but for my first few shows worrying about time and height are the last things I need to be doing. I am going to be worrying about keeping my crap together and getting safely around xc.

About Jack

About Foster

Show Name: Kentucky GentlemanBorn: 2007Height: 16.2hBreed: Oldenburg X TB/PaintCurrent Status: Retired from Competition, living with a new mom

About Me

I'm a web/graphic designer and photographer entrenched in the equestrian lifestyle. Since growing up on a horse breeding farm, I never left the Pony Princess phase, and currently compete in the sport of Eventing (Equestrian Triathlon) as an Adult Amateur. I balance this hobby with house improvement projects and spending time with my husband, model/dog Drake, and two rescue Manx cats.